Paper strip lighter



May 1.5, 1945. CgH, BRlGH-r 2,376,116

PAPER STRIP LKIGHTER C. H. BRIGHT PAPER STRIP LIGHTER May l5, 1945.

.Filed Jan. 21, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l .Nllf

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' INVENT OR. (uma: 9W/GH;-A

Patented May 15, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,376,116 PAPER STRIP LIGHTER l Claude H. Bright, Memphis, Tenn. I f Application January 21, 1943, Serial No. 473,078

7 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for lighting and detaching strips or lengths of paper to serve as tapers for lighting cigarettes, cigars, pipes, gas stoves or other ignition purposes.

The objects of the invention are:

vToprovide a novel, simple and effective construction, free from the lire hazards inherent in lighting devices in which combustible compounds or fluids are employed and ignited by means of a spark or friction, said construction being de signed to hold a roll of untreated paper in strip form, and to feed said paper from such roll into contact with an ignition member; l

To provide means for energizing the ignition member, and means facilitating the cutting off of an ignited length of paper for use; and

To provide housing means for said ignition member, apertured to expose a restricted portion of said member, said aperture being positioned to allow inward flow of a current of air induced by heat of saidmember.

The means by which the foregoing and other 'objects are accomplished, and the manner of their accomplishment, will readily be understood .from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. lisa sectional side elevation takenas on l i `the line I--I of Fig, 2; and

Fig. 2 a plan with parts of the covering surfaces broken away'l to more clearly show underlying structures;

Referring new to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals:

Il is a box-like base having a top I3 which may extend rearwardly and overhang the base,

the top being hingedly secured to the base as by` l The base is adapted to hold a roll hinges l5. of paper l1 in strip form, the depth of the base being somewhat greater than ,the width of the roll so that the Aroll is loosely housed therein. I9 is a pinsecured to and extending upward from the bottom of the base, on which pin the roll of `paper l1 is journalled.

Mountedonthe top yI3 is a heating unit, comprising a circular standard 2| of insulating material, around which, in usual manner, are two turns of resistance coil 23, one end of this resistance coil being connected in usual manner through'a lead 23-A to one leadl 25-A of an electric circuit, and the other endf of the coil being connected through leads 23-Band Y21 to one pole 29 of a switch. 3l is the opposite pole of the switch from which the second lead 25-B of the electric'circuit leads. If desired a signal light 33'may be interposed in the lead 25-13, 55

The switch includes a switch bar 35 pivotally mounted on a pin 31 carried by the pole 3l, the bar normally being held out of contact withthe pole 29 by a tension spring 39. 4I is a depressor member secured to and extending beyond the bar 35, the member being suitably insulated from the bar as by insulation 43. The heating unit 23 is housed in a box-like housing 45 which is secured to and supported by the top i3, and which likewise preferably enloses the switch 35, the depresscr member 4l of the switch extending for wardly from this housing. The housing is provided with a restricted aperture 46 which permits entrance of the paper strip ll-B to effect ignition contact, and allow a current of air to flow therethrough to accelerate the ignition.

The .signal light is preferably also enclosed in a housing 41 which has an inclined glass top 49 through which the signal light is visible. The housing 41 and glass top 49 may also enclose an inclined support 5| against which advertising or other matter, not shown, may be supported, the face of this inclined support being directly illuminated by the signal light 33 and visible through the glass top 49.

Supported by and extending forwardly from the base top 13, is a plate 53 which is bent up-` wardly at its forward end to form a substantially vertical extension 55, and is thence rearwardly bent to form a shelf 51 extending rearwardly into adjacency with the turns of the heating unit coil, the shelf preferably being supported adjacent the heating unit by the top of the housing 45.# The strip of paper IT-A from the roll I1 is lead through openings in the forward end of the base to the forward end of the plate 53; thence upward' along the extension 55 and rearward along the shelf 51 to the heating coil.

Secured to, or forming an integral part of, the shelf 51 are guides 59 and 6| through which the strip of paper passes, both these guides overlying vthe strip of paper, and the rear edge GI--A of the guide 6| forming a cut-off for the taper portion |1-B of the strip. Rearwardly of the guide 59 the shelf 51 is cut away along the dotted line 51-A to expose an edge portion of the paper strip ll-B. The length of thev shelf 5l and par- Disposed below the shelf 51 and the paper strip ll-B and this cut away portion of the shelf is a roller 63 which is suitably journalled in a support 65 extending between the plate 53 and the shelf 51, this roller conveniently being provided with a handle 61 by which it may be turned. Overlying the paper strip Il-B and contacting it against the roller 63 is an idler roller 69 having a shaft 11 which extends through and is suitably journalled in a vhousing 1I extending upward from the shelf 51. Preferably the roller 69 is milled to afford a better grip on the paper strip.

13 is a shield housing the paper strip at the front of the device. 15 is a spring which contacts the upper side of the shaft 11 which carries the roller 69, and holds the roller against the paper strip and the strip against the roller 53.

In using the device the top of the base i3 is lifted about the hinge l5 to permit access to the `base, and the coil of strip paper l1 is disposed in the base with its center around the pin 19. The forward end |1--A is brought out through the forward end of the base and is threaded upward between the shield 13 and the vertical extension 55 of the plate 53 and is fed rearwardly through the guide 59 into contact with the rollers 63 and 69. The roller 63 is then turned, feeding the strip portion IT-B through the guide 6| and moving it rearwardly along the shelf 51 until the end of the strip contacts the coil 23, this feeding being continued'until the paper bows up, as shown in Fig. l.

The depressor member 4I of the switch is pushed down bringing the switch bar 35 into contact with the pole 29 and completing the circuit to the heating coil, the depressor member being held down until the coil becomes suiilciently hot to ignite the end of the paper strip I1-B, after which the switch is released, the strip I1-B engaged by the fingers of the operator and torn off against the rear edge GI-,A of the guide 6i, the ignited strip of paper being used as a taper for such purposes as may be desired.

During contact of the switch bar the signal light 33 is illuminated, this illumination being particularly advantageous during the brief instant of time when the coil is beginning to heat up, and in calling attention during the heating i period to such display as may be carried by the4 It will be distinctly understood that the details and arrangement of the parts show the preferred construction, but it will be distinctly understood that these may be altered within the scope of any sub-joined claim or claims, and the purport of the invention.

I claim:

1. Means for lighting and tearing off strips of paper as tapers, including means for housing a roll of strip paper, an ignition coil supported by said housing, an energizing electric circuit, including an interposed switch, leading to said coil, said switch being manually operable to effect completion of said circuit; means carried by said housing and spaced from said coil for withdrawing said paper strip from said roll and feeding same in end abutting relation against said coil,

.guide means including a shelf underlying said strip extending between said feeding means and said coil, and a member overlying said strip adjacent said feeding means, said member having a tearing edge portion disposed transversely to said strip and spaced a desired minimum taper length from said coil. l

2. Means for lighting and tearing off strips of paper as tapers, including means for housing a roll of strip paper, an ignition coil supported by said housing, an energizing electric circuit, including an interposed switch, leading to said coil, said switch being manually operable to effect completion of said circuit; a pair of cooperating, manually operable rolls, carried by said housing and spaced from said coil for withdrawing said paper strip from said roll and feeding same in end abutting relation against said coil, guide means including a shelf underlying said strip extending between said feeding means and said coil, and a member overlying said strip adjacent said feeding means, said member having a tearing edge portion disposed transversely to said strip and spaced a desired minimum taper length from said coil.

3. Means for lighting and tearing oif strips of paper as tapers, including a shallow box-like base adapted for atwise housing of a roll of strip paper, a cover overlying said base and completing said housing, said cover being hingedly connected to a wall of said housing, an ignition coil mounted on and extending upward from said cover, an electric circuit leading to said coil, and a switch biased open, interposed in and interrupting said circuit, said switch being manually operable to effect completion of said circuit; means Ycarried by said cover forwardly of said coil manposed portion overlying said strip and forming a cutting edge, said cutting edge being spaced a desired minimum taper length from said coil.

4. Means for lighting and tearing oif strips of paper as tapers, including a shallow box-like base adapted for flatwise housing of a roll of strip paper, a cover overlying said base and completing said housing, said cover being hingedly connected to a wall of said housing, an ignition coil mounted on and extending upward from .said cover, an electric circuit leading to said coil, and a switch biased open, interposed in and interrupting said circuit, said switch being manually operable to effect completion of said circuit; a pair of cooperative rollers carried by said cover forwardly of said coil and manually operable for withdrawing said paper strip from said base and feeding same in end abutting relation against said coil, and a guide for said strip, disposed between said feeding means and said coil, said guide including a portion transversely overlying said strip and forming a cutting edge, said cutting edge being spaced a desired minimum taper length from said coil.

5. Means for igniting and tearing off strips of paper as tapers, including an electrically resistant wire mounted on a heat resistant support, a housing for said wire whose Walls are positioned away from and out of contact therewith, said housing having an aperture adapted to expose a portion of said wire and allow a current of air induced by the heat of said wire to flow therethrough, means for guiding said paper strip through said aperture into contact with said wire, and means forming a cutting edge for said strip cooperating with said guiding means, said cutting edge being spaced a minimum taper length from said wire.

6. Means for lighting and tearing off strips of paper as tapers, including a roll of strip paper; an ignition coil, including an energizing electric circuit, including a switch biased open and manually operable to complete said circuit, means supporting said roll, means supporting said coil in fixed relation thereto, means for feeding said strip paper from said roll in end on relation against said coil, and cut-off means interposed between said roll and said coil spaced a desired minimum taper length from said coil.

7. Means for lighting and tearing off strips of paper as tapers, including means for housing a roll of strip paper, an ignition coil supported adjacent said housing, an energizing electric current including an interposed switch leading to said coil, said switch being normally open and Cil manually operable to effect completion of said circuit; means for guiding said strip paper into Contact with said coil, said guide means including an underlying shelf, a pair of cooperating manually operable rollers adapted to move said strip paper along and over the said shelf and feeding said paper in end abutting relation against said coil, and a member overlying said strip adjacent said feeding means, said member having an edge portion disposed transversely to said strip and spaced a desired minimum taper length from said coil.

CLAUDE H. BRIGHT. 

